Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to brown-nose

to brown-nose

4 8.2
To flatter someone in power without meaning it to get their favor
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈbraʊnˌnoʊz/
  • Offensive
translation icon : hacer la pelota a
  • If a person tries to brown-nose a well-balanced boss with minimal ego issues, it can backfire.

Examples

  • They first brown-nose a particular view, then counter it with an opposite opinion.

    Blog text (24)

  • Mr. Williams, I do not appreciate, nor will I tolerate... ...people who try to brown nose in my course.

    Higher Learning (1995)

  • Just another example that shows brown-nosing pays off over natural talent or hard work.

    Blog text (28)

  • The problem is that I didn't smile enough and brown-nose you the way everyone else does.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I don't have to do brown-nosing because my results keep everyone in the district office quite happy.

    Blog text (13)

  • I'm not trying to brown-nose you, but I've been in business a long time and I've never run across anyone quite like you.

    The Intern (2015)

  • The fact is if you don't brown-nose, you don't get favors or could be out of a job today.

    Blog text (33)

  • The difference between brown-nosing and communication is that brown-nosing usually has a significant dose of gratuitous flattery.

    Blog text (20)

  • I don't necessarily believe that brown-nosing is a bad thing unless it is done with malicious intent or to jeopardize another colleague's position.

    Blog text (20)

  • He was accused of brown-nosing his boss to get a promotion.

Synonyms

to suck up
vsto brown-nose
  • Informal
26 8.0

To praise someone to get their approval

focuses on flattering authority in an insincere, excessive way
to fawn
vsto brown-nose
25 7.7

Act very friendly and praise someone to gain their favor

uses flattering, overly eager behavior to win someone's favor
to butter up
vsto brown-nose
  • Informal
13 4.2

Say nice things to someone to get what you want

tries to gain favor specifically through excessive flattering behavior
to curry favor
vsto brown-nose
  • US
10 7.4

To try to get someone to like you by praising them or being too helpful

relies more specifically on flattering authority to gain favor
to buck for
vsto brown-nose
  • Archaic
9 8.2

To try hard to get praise or a promotion from someone like a boss

focuses on gaining favor by flattering authority rather than general effort
to kiss ass
vsto brown-nose
  • Offensive
8 9.5

To try to please someone in power to get an advantage

describes the same seeking of favor by excessive insincere praise
to toady
vsto brown-nose
1 9.1

Flatter and obey someone in power to get their favor

focuses on flattering and submissive acts to gain favor
to play up
vsto brown-nose
  • Informal
1 5.5

Try to get someone's approval by giving false praise

is targeted at flattering authority in an excessive, insincere way
to bootlick
vsto brown-nose
  • Offensive
1 8.7

To praise or obey someone in power to get their support

is the practice of flattering authority to gain their approval
to court favor
vsto brown-nose
1 6.8

To try to get someone's approval by praising them a lot

is the act of flattering authority to win their goodwill
to apple-polish
vsto brown-nose
  • Informal
9.0

To give praise that is not real to get a favor

is about flattering authority in an insincere and excessive way
to honey up to
vsto brown-nose
  • Informal
8.8

To please someone with too many compliments to get a favor

is more narrowly about flattering authority to gain personal favor
to lick someone's boot
vsto brown-nose
  • Offensive
8.9

Praise or act very friendly toward a boss to get something for yourself

focuses specifically on flattering those in power to get favor

How Obsequious

to toady
1 9.1
to bootlick
  • Offensive
1 8.7
to suck up
  • Informal
26 8.0
to brown-nose
  • Offensive
4 8.2
to flatter
100 3.6

Surface Forms

brown-nose infinitive
brown-nosed past
brown-nosed past participle
brown-nosing present participle
brown-noses third person singular

Morphology

brown-nose = brown + nose (opaque) = brown + nose

Although the word is built from the recognizable parts 'brown' and 'nose', its meaning 'flatter insincerely for favor' is a figurative idiom rather than a meaning that follows directly from the components.

Etymology

Brown-nose comes from a rude picture: one popular idea says the parts brown and nose show someone getting so close to a powerful person that their nose would turn 'brown' — like 'kissing up' or 'bootlicking'. So, to brown-nose someone is to flatter them in a fake way to get their favor.